Reactions
by AppleL0V3R
Summary: Mini-Story. She supposed she should have felt honored to have Kuchiki, Byakuya notice her, but honestly? She didn't, because really, what did she do to merit this kind of reaction? ByaHina. Bleach/Naruto x-over. Four Chapters. Complete.
1. Getting Here

**Title:** Reactions

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SyphmoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto and Bleach

**Pairing:** Kuchiki Byakuya and Hyuuga Hinata

**Chapter:** One – Getting Here

**Rating:** T

**Type:** Mini-Story – Incomplete

**Summary:** She supposed she should have felt honored to have Kuchiki Byakuya notice her, but honestly? She didn't, so what did she do to merit this kind of reaction?

**Theme:** 25 Crossovers LJ challenge (#25 – Honored)

**Word Count:** 1,735

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on:** December 14, 2011

* * *

What. The. Hell?

What did she ever do to deserve _this_? Yeah, sure, she was the only heiress in the history of the Hyuuga Clan who had resigned. This had resulted in her cousin from the branch family stepping up and taking her place. But that had nothing to do with this! In fact, that should have been the biggest factor to stop this from happening. But nooo, the elders of both the village and the clan thought that this was a good idea. They thought it'd be best for her to live with Kuchiki Byakuya as a way to tie Konoha to Soul Society. She hadn't wanted to be used like that, like a bargaining chip. But it seemed she would always be at odds with her clan members instead of at peace.

"This will be beneficial to everyone, daughter, you must." Hiashi, her father, had stated while informing her of _her_ wellbeing and what she would be doing with _her_ life. And of course that was the one of the very few times he'd called her 'daughter'. For multiple reasons, none of which she liked. To subtly tell her that she hadn't been disowned no matter her status and therefore had to obey him. To dissuade an argument or scene because he thought her privileged to be called that. And to persuade her not make things difficult. Couldn't he show affection without any gain whatsoever? She snorted inwardly already knowing the answer to that.

"It will boost the Hyuuga Clan's status in the village, putting us on better footing with the Uchiha, because he is the head of one of the four noble clans in the Soul Society. And because he is a noble, it will undoubtedly create close ties between Konohagakure no Sota and Soul Society. It is obviously in everyone's best interest." Playing her like a secret card that he would have gladly discarded without a thought before then. And had even tried to do so.

_Not mine._ Hinata grumbled to herself when the words left his mouth. So much for finally confessing to Naruto that she loved him. It wouldn't matter anyway seeing as there is no way out of this. So she did the only thing she could, bow her head until her forehead nearly touched the floor boards so as to conceal her tears and give herself the time to reconfigure her nearly cracked composure.

"Yes, father. I understand." Stupid arranged marriage. Stupid nosy father who couldn't leave her be even after she all but disowned herself. But mostly, stupid her for not even having the backbone to fight their decision. "And when will I depart for the Seireitei?"

The Hyuuga patriarch's frown deepened, because he was always frowning, "Kuchiki-san has not yet set a date." _Or agreed to marry lucky, little ol' me._ She thought bitterly. Finally when she a had a firm grip on her emotions she sat up straight once more so that she was no longer speaking to the floor.

The raven-haired, young woman nodded curtly. "I see. Then may I take my leave and continue about my normal duties until the date is set?"

Now her father nodded. "You may. Dismissed."

She stood up and left as quickly as possible. She wanted to be a thousand miles away from here. Anywhere. Just not here. And not leaving to be Mrs. Kuchiki Hinata.

She frowned.

But she was going to be, and she had no say in the matter that would decide how the rest of her life was lived. Hell, she hadn't even met the guy. But hearing of his status and the fact that her father approved, he was probably a stuck up asshole. Just like all the rest that had tried to be her suitor before she stepped down. In fact they were part of the reason as to why she gave up her birth right in the first place, the other part being her overbearing family.

So much for marrying for love.

She sighed inwardly. Nothing she could do about it now. She didn't have the guts to stop it so if she wasn't going to do anything about it, then she should stop complaining and make the most of it. It wasn't technically giving in. And besides she'd already made her choice back there. Now she had to live with it.

* * *

Within a week Hinata found herself before the Kuchiki manor beside her soon-to-be husband, ready to move into her new home. How long would it be till she could visit home again? Probably a good long while. At least she'd been allowed a grace period to get ready to leave which of course included the goodbyes from her friends and Neji. Hanabi had been on a mission and all her father had said two days before was that she'd better make this work to the best of her abilities. Still the same old father that cared nothing for his disowned daughter, except for when she could better the clan status. At least he was treating Hanabi and Neji well; that's all she could really ask for.

As for the man walking ahead of her, he had yet to disprove the stuck up asshole theory, though he hadn't promoted it either. She honestly didn't know what to make of him. He definitely has the whole tall, dark and handsome thing going on. Not expressive eyes, but then again, she didn't know what she should expect. She hadn't met anyone who knew they'd died at least once after all. Yet she still liked them all the same with their beautiful color and the way they seemed to hide more than emotions.

He didn't smile though. Just a nod of acknowledgement was all she had received; she had yet to even hear his voice. Not that she needed to, she guessed that it was bound to be something like deep baritone, the kind of voice that could melt any girl within hearing range.

As she trailed behind him, she made a mental map in her head so she wouldn't get lost or be a nuisance to him later on. It'd benefit them both, him not being bothered and her not being embarrassed. That's what she needed to do; stay out of his way. And she would, even if it was the last thing she did. Well that and pick up on his habits so she knew what to do without words, but that was just a given.

She wondered briefly if he would be affectionate in any sort of way or if this was strictly a political and business relationship, then pushed the thought away. She knew the answer which meant she shouldn't get her hopes up. They would, after all, only be crushed to smithereens in the end. And she couldn't have that. So might as well save face now and adapt to her new lifestyle as soon as possible. That would most certainly make things easier. Fighting would only muddle matters and make everything so much harder on her. She didn't need that; she wouldn't be able to handle that.

He stopped suddenly then gestured to a door while looking over his shoulder at the young kunoichi, pinning her with the sharp gaze she had already found herself associating him with. She was used to those gazes; she'd had them her whole life no matter which way she looked. But the expectant ones were the ones that always got to her; those were even more prominent than the eagle like ones. "This will be our room." She nodded waiting for him to make some kind of move, one that told her how she would react. After all, that's what she'd learned to do when she got the type of look he was giving her now. But he did nothing. Was he waiting for her reaction? Was he prodding her to figure out what she was like when she had to act upon her own accord?

Hinata ignored the 'our'; it would only feed false hope. And besides, those were the first words he said to her – she'd been right about his voice – which meant that he wasn't one for small talk, though she'd already guessed that.

After a moment of him still doing nothing, she realized that, yes he was analyzing her and this next choice would decide the majority of how he would think of her. Of how he would react. And most importantly, how she'd be treated from here on out. This was officially the first impression.

Still she made no move other than flicking her eyes to the door, down the hall, then before her and behind her, and finally allowed them to rest on him. "Why me?"

He didn't react, but his eyes did flicker. It didn't help her much though; the emotions ran into each other and were far too fast for her to pick out and name. She'd have to learn to pick up on emotions quickly if she was going to keep up with him. Well nothing was supposed to be easy, otherwise it wouldn't be life.

Finally he responded. "Because I chose you. Is there a problem with that?" _I chose you._ Was she supposed to feel special? Honored? She didn't. Would she tell him that? No.

"No." _Yes…maybe…we'll see._

He nodded and again gestured to the door again. "Good, then you can unpack your things. When you're done, find a servant; they'll know where I want you to go afterwards."

She watched him for a moment longer and then moved for the door. Might as well. Besides, she was slightly interested in his reactions. It wasn't like Neji or her father, but it wasn't entirely different either. It was…indescribable. If nothing else, she could spend her time figuring out her husband-to-be. The raven-haired, young woman snorted inwardly; _that_ would take a while.


	2. Beginning Here

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Chapter:** Two – Beginning Here

**Type:** Mini-Story – Incomplete

**Theme:** 25 Crossovers LJ challenge (#25 – Honored)

**Word Count:** 2,225

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on:** January 17, 2012

* * *

As it turned out, the Kuchiki manor was no more complicated than the Hyuuga compound, though it was slightly bigger. Within the first few days she could find her way around with ease. It was everything else she was still trying to pick up on. Like the clan head himself, what she was doing here and how here worked.

The wedding wouldn't be until next week. He'd been kind enough to give her a week to settle in and another week for everything to be planned and for beginning to execute those plans. And of course that duty fell squarely on her shoulders. At first the whole thing had been overwhelming considering how many were supposed to attend – not to mention that the Hyuuga clan had somehow convinced the Kuchiki clan to agree to hold a second wedding in Konoha.

Fairness, she supposed. Which was really laughable considering she was pretty sure neither clan actually knew how to demonstrate the meaning of the word. If it got them what they wanted – wealth, power, position – then they didn't care what they had to use to get it. In a way, they were like the yakuza, she supposed, or at least no better than them; in fact the only thing that separated them was blood and position.

It was sickening, quite frankly. But it was the life she'd been raised in, and apparently, the one she was destined to stay in.

So here she was, planning for both weddings. The nights themselves would be tiring – not to mention trying – she knew, but a wedding was a celebration after all. And nobles loved to overdo celebrations for any chance they could get.

She stretched a little as she continued to review all the papers. There was so much to sort that by the time this was done and over with she would be happy. But at least she had help for the Konoha wedding; she was on her own for the Soul Society one, but Sakura, Tenten and Ino were currently in Konoha and so she had managed to enlist their help. And they, being the best friends that they were, had been more than happy to agree.

Byakuya was still at the sixth division doing paperwork. Not that it made any real difference to her; he was usually away or dealing with clan members and when he wasn't either, he was sleeping, training or meditating. At least, that's what his schedule seemed to be to her. They rarely saw one another, only when they were in their room to sleep, and even then there was scarcely any acknowledgement. Truth be told, she had expected it to be like this, but because of what happened when she first arrived she'd hoped it would be different. That he would prove she wasn't just a requirement, a trophy wife. But he hadn't.

So, she'd decided to take a deep breath and accept the fact. If it really came down it, she would find a way to change it.

Until then, she had more pressing things to think about. Like the seating arrangements. When she wasn't planning and designing and setting up, she was getting to know everyone as best she could. She wished her husband-to-be would talk to her a little more so she didn't have as much to worry about, and wouldn't make as big a fool of herself – and him – if she misplaced anyone. But she was guessing that he was using this to figure out if she was suited to be a Kuchiki or not.

So she'd settled for asking random people who deigned to speak to her in the first place. She'd found the most help in an outgoing young woman who looked to be around Hinata's age though the raven-haired shinobi was aware that she was probably at least twice as old as she looked. The female had stated that her name was Rukia and that if Hinata needed any help, all she had to do was ask. Hinata, more out of politeness, had declined, but told the other woman she would keep it in mind and that she greatly appreciated the offer.

Hinata found herself growing steadily attached to Rukia; the girl was as outspoken as Ino, but as violent as Sakura and mischievous as Tenten – and if she was being perfectly honest, she even saw a bit of herself in Rukia as well. She found she liked the combination quite well. And since the first time she had talked to the black-haired girl, she'd done so more and more frequently. Hinata hadn't minded confiding in the other girl about her life back in Konoha and her friends and family. In turn she'd learned more of her, even the fact that she was the Hyuuga's husband-to-be's adopted sister, but the catch was that they didn't talk much and weren't very close.

But what Rukia did know about her brother she'd been more than willing to share since she wanted to make the kunoichi's life easier. For that she was ever grateful. But there were also other things to worry about.

And one of the things that had been continuously on Hinata's mind was whether she would have to resign from her career as nothing had been said so far. It would made sense if she had to since she would be living here in Soul Society as a clan wife. The idea was crushing though, and she found herself wishing – but not hoping, she didn't know Byakuya well enough to do that – that she would be able to make it work. And she was sure that at the wedding ceremony in Konoha she would find out. Until then, it was just another thing to be anxious about.

She was already resigned to whatever fate served her at any rate. With a slight shake of her head, she derailed that train of thought, deciding to focus on getting what she'd set out to achieve for the day done. She didn't have much left to do and figured to wouldn't take that long to get them done. And she was right; an hour dragged by, but a little after she was able to stretch and say the work was finished. She grabbed the papers and quickly settled them into a nice and neat pile. Lavender eyes strayed to the couch and she briefly contemplated simply falling asleep there rather than going all the way back to her shared room.

But she knew better. She didn't need one of the servants trying to wake her or her fiancé coming across her. Hinata didn't know him well enough to intentionally let that situation happen. So she grabbed the papers once more and stood. Only to fall back down. She hadn't realized that her legs had fallen into such a deep sleep that she couldn't even stand on them.

Cursing the fact, she set the papers back down and crawled over to the couch, easily pulling herself up on it. Looks like she would be making the couch her bed tonight after all.

* * *

And when Byakuya returned that was exactly how he found her. She was curled in on herself as her body tried to retain any heat it could in the face of the cool night and without any blanket to buffer it. He blinked in surprise, more so at the idea that she would be comfortable enough to be so improper in her new home than anything else.

Her long raven hair was splayed around her, covering her arms and side in wisps as it fell behind and in front and on top of her. It made quite the sight and though it slightly reminded him of Hisana, he knew the picture wasn't the same. It was warm, as his late wife had tried to be, but it was informal, something neither he nor she ever was. It was also different; this young woman who would be his wife was completely different. She didn't hold the same ideals, and though her hair was dark, it was nowhere near the same color. Her skin was pale and her lilac eyes keen but soft.

A part of him, quiet and mostly forgotten over long years, whispered that it liked the image. That he had made the right choice.

It took a few long moments before he finally pulled his grey eyes from the form of his slumbering fiancé and to the room around him. It was still as clean as it had been this morning and the night before, but now there was a neat stack of documents on the coffee table not far from Hinata.

Curious, he padded forward silently and reached down to pick up the first piece of parchment paper. It was a list. Frowning he scanned the names, and the tilt deepened when he realized it was the names of those who would be attending the ceremony next week.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked back to her, zeroing in a little more to see the details his initial look had not. She seemed slightly tensed, although sleep had slackened it to almost nothing, and she also seemed exhausted despite the fact that she was resting. All the signs were there. She had been working on these papers; she had been seeing to all the arrangements. She had been doing something someone of lesser stature in the clan should be doing.

The Kuchiki head made a mental note to make sure that all of this was alleviated from her responsibility.

But further curiosity to see what she'd sorted out came to mind, and so he easily knelt until he rested comfortably on the floor next to the table and directly across from the sleeping woman. He set the list down, her penmanship was excellent with tight letters and flowing script, in favor of the next available document. And for the next half hour or so, he read through the papers, noting that though she hadn't even been here for half a month, but she already had so little flaws in her set up. With a few changes, he realized he could not have done a better job himself.

Which meant one of two things: she was either very resourceful or very observant. Though he realized fully that it could have been both. But how had she gotten the concrete information that extended to even little details? Had she spoken to other Kuchiki?

Again he frowned. If that was true, then why hadn't she spoken of it to him? It was their wedding, after all, and arranged or not, did she feel she could not even speak to him over such a simple thing? He didn't like the implications those thoughts and questions posed. And so he amended that mental note he'd made earlier; he would have a thorough conversation with Hinata and then he would see that this burden was removed.

For now, he put the documents back the way he found them and climbed to his feet. After straightening out his clothes, he skirted the table; it was already nearly morning now, and his first priority was getting her to their bed and getting some rest himself. When he was directly before her, he reached down, but froze inches from her person as she stirred. Making a small sound in the back of her throat, she turned onto her back, but didn't stretch out. In fact, she leaned her still folded legs against the back of the couch as she crossed her arms over her midsection.

It took him a moment before he began to move again, more careful this time. But she didn't even shift as he dug his hand beneath her neck and curled his other arm under the backs of her knees. With one swift tug, he had her off the couch and against his torso, and she immediately shifted to make herself comfortable in his hold though the only part of her body she truly moved was her head. She curled into his body and nestled her head against his collarbone as one of her hands moved to latch onto his robes.

He stood frozen once more, but slowly he turned and carried her to the proper destination. When he arrived, he settled her into the bed first before moving to untangle himself from her. With a few careful maneuvers, he stepped back to watch as she shifted - turning a little, moving her leg a bit, bringing her arms up - until she was back to being comfortable.

That small voice became just a little bigger, just a little louder as it reminded him that he had chosen this girl and that she was going to be his wife in less than two weeks. And this time it didn't seem content to quiet of its own accord as it continued to whisper the same words over and over until he finally hushed it with some semblance of irritation.

But he couldn't help looking over his shoulder after he'd turned away to get ready for sleep.


	3. Knowing Here

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Chapter:** Three – Knowing Here

**Type:** Mini-Story – Incomplete

**Theme:** 25 Crossovers LJ challenge (#25 – Honored)

**Word Count:** 2,160

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on:** January 17, 2012

* * *

Hinata stifled a groan as she stirred, whispers of sleep still hazing her consciousness. She squeezed her eyes shut a little tighter before finally opening them, confusion hitting her senses first. She was in her bed. How had she…? Quickly, she pulled out her memories of the day before. She'd worked all day on those arrangements and when she'd gotten up to come in here, her legs had refused to work properly. So she'd crawled on the couch, thinking that she'd let the blood get back into them first and then try walking again. But the fact of the matter was that she didn't remember ever even telling herself that she had to get up, or even wanting to move. And she was definitely certain she didn't sleepwalk – that was something a kunoichi couldn't afford so most were trained out of it. Besides, she had never been a sleepwalker in the first place.

So the question remained: how did she end up in her bed when she hadn't fallen asleep here?

She shifted her legs a little and froze completely when her toes brushed against something, something that felt decidedly like skin. With almost wide eyes, she glanced around for the first time finding, directly to her left, laying right beside her, her spouse-to-be. Something told her he was less than happy at that moment, especially when she felt his slate, grey eyes zero in on her person.

"Good morning." She stated quietly, urging her body to not only remember how to breathe correctly, but to actually do it.

His answering nod was slight, almost thoughtful.

But he didn't say anything, and she honestly didn't want to wait to hear what would come out of his mouth next. Because she really wasn't in the mood to be scolded or anything of the sort when she'd done nothing but her best to please the guy by taking care of the arrangements. Just as she was about to sit up, she stilled once more. The thought was indeed provoking and she couldn't help but wonder. She'd thought he'd been testing her to see if she could keep pace, if she could survive without him holding her hand.

Could she have been wrong? Was it possible that he hadn't even wanted her to touch such things?

She knew clan etiquette, and she knew that such planning was never made by the Clan Head or his fiancé. But she also knew that in politics it was a way to test one;s skills and thoughts, to deem how fit they were for such a high position. And since Byakuya had said nothing to discourage her from doing the work, she'd automatically assumed he wanted her to do it. And so by trying to not make any mistake at all, by trying to prove her competence, had she just unknowingly made an error?

Hinata tried not to gulp at the thought because she hadn't done anything wrong. Not in her mind and she wasn't going to start acting like a scolded child before her fiancé had even opened his mouth. Her father was bad enough; she was not going to bow to Byakuya the same way because she had grown up with the idea that in a marriage both husband and wife were _equal_. No matter what their clans thought.

With that, she once more began to sit up. Only to find herself surprised as he followed the action, keeping pace easily. What in the world was he doing? She'd known when she first met him that it could possibly take a lifetime to figure this man out, and at the time she hadn't minded. She'd even seen as a way to pass time. But right then, it was just confounding and made it all the harder to figure out how she was supposed to react.

But she was getting tired of that too; she didn't want to constantly be reacting rather than acting on her she kept rising until she was on her feet and made to skirt the bed so that she could get to her limited supply of clothing, making a mental note to expand the collection even as she walked towards it. Before she could completely get past the bed however, Byakuya was standing directly in her path. He wasn't quite towering over her, but she still got the feeling that he wasn't going to move until he was good and ready. So she settled herself to a stop a mere two or three steps from him.

This time, he spoke first. "You've been tending to the wedding arrangements."

So she was right; that's what this was about after all. And here a small part of her had hoped he was simply starting to warm up to her. She nodded once. "I have. Was I not supposed to?"

"It is generally left to servants, not high ranking members of the family." His voice was smooth and nonchalant, but the way his eyes were focused so intently on her told Hinata that she'd been right once more. He hadn't been testing her by having her put the ceremony together. In fact, he hadn't wanted her to do at all. "But they were quite well done none the less."

She had to refrain from blinking in surprise. Had he just complimented her? Was he saying that she wasn't in trouble or anything like it for her actions? "I had help from your sister, Rukia."

He nodded in turn. "I am pleased to hear that you feel comfortable enough to speak to immediate family."

Hinata couldn't help the slight blush that caused a faint pink dusting on her cheeks. "She is quite nice, if not a little loud." The raven-haired woman paused, and then decided to dive right in; she'd never been too fond of dancing around a subject with subtleties anyway. "Did you not want me to see to the arrangements?"

He pursed his lips. "I had not thought you would, but it seems your clan does things a little differently."

"Well, no, they do things the same way. But normally in arranged marriages with nobility, no matter the woman's status, if she is marrying outside the clan, then she does oversee it."

Again he nodded. "I see. Then why did you not inform me of your choice to see to it, instead asking Rukia for advice?"

She couldn't stop her lavender eyes from widening, realizing suddenly what this whole thing was about. It wasn't that she'd done a servant's job; it was that she hadn't spoken to him of it nor asked his advice on any part. The blush grew as the implications sank in. "My apologies. I had assumed you were testing me, to see if I would be a suitable wife to you in terms of being able to deal with clan expectations."

Slate gray eyes narrowed. "I see." He shifted to the side to let her continue on her way. "In the future, you will come to me before you make such assumptions."

Hinata didn't move an inch. She understood the sentiment behind the words, but she also knew they were more of an order than a request. And if she conceded, then she'd be conceding to letting him demand things of her and she didn't want to live that kind of life. That's why she'd become a shinobi; because even though she was given orders, they were from her boss and they weren't meant to show dominance; it was just how things were done. This wasn't the same; she would not be bossed around by her husband-to-be. "I will," she paused. "Byakuya, I don't think I'm clan material."

This had his gaze back on her. "And why not? You are the daughter of the head of your own clan, are you not?"

She nodded, hoping she wasn't going to be on his bad side from here on out for her next statement. "But I couldn't act the way that was expected of me. I don't like submitting someone else, and I like to see how far I can go."

He seemed to study here for a moment, analyzing what she meant and if there was an underlying meaning to it. When she'd started to think he wasn't going to even reply, he did. "Good." Lavender eyes blinked; whatever she'd expected that had not been it, "I chose you because you weren't the perfect example of someone submissive. I was almost beginning to think I had been mistaken in my choice."

With that, he turned and headed out of their room, clearly intent on beginning the day now that whatever had been on his mind was laid to rest. She was left to stand there, somewhere between stunned and humbled, but smiling. Perhaps being married to him wouldn't be that bad. It would take time to assimilate back into clan life once more, but now that she knew he wasn't expecting her to be the traditional kind of wife, she didn't mind undertaking the task. In fact, she was looking forward to it.

* * *

The rest of the week and the wedding itself passed without a single problem. The remaining work had been passed on to a servant, one who Hinata was beginning to think was almost a personal one to Byakuya. Neither of them had said it officially and there was no such title, but it was clear that if Byakuya needed a servant for something, then it was only one in particular who actually did it. And she was finding herself in almost the same position since Rukia seemed to be good at being there whenever Hinata needed a helping hand, and if she wasn't, then the servant who usually attended to her husband would help her.

After that morning, she'd felt more at ease around Byakuya, more willing to go out and learn and absorb the new world around her, to get used to what would, from henceforth, be her home. He in turn, would find at least a moment during the day to greet her, be it good morning, good afternoon or good night. And that itself further helped to get her accustomed to her life because it was a daily reminder of whom she'd married and why she was there.

What had surprised her was that, apparently, Byakuya had planned for a honeymoon after the wedding. One that she was currently enjoying. He'd taken her to a place called Karakara Town, in the 'living world' at a beach vacation home.

She hummed with laughter as small waves hit her calves and the soaked sand shifted and settled around her feet. Byakuya was settled in the shade of the house, clearly content to simply watch her entertain herself. No amount of coaxing had gotten him to join her thus far. It amazed her how easily she'd simply gotten used to him; the more time she spent with him, the more her natural, true self came out. She hoped that the rest of her life and marriage would be like this, simple and at ease. Even through any inevitable hardships, she hoped to see him there beside her.

In the mean time, she'd enjoy herself as best she could. Especially since she knew their second ceremony would be in three days at Konoha. If the wedding ceremony had been nerve wracking in the Soul Society, before his entire clan and even a few outside of it as well, then the one in her former home was going to be even worse. After all, she had to deal with her family's scrutiny of how the two were getting along, and see all of her friends and once upon a time coworkers on top of it.

That was another thing. Her career as a shinobi was one of the things she'd brought up with Byakuya prior to the wedding. He'd told her that she would have to retire from the job, but if she wanted to still be active and have a career, then she was more than welcome to study at the Shinigami Academy.

Apparently, the guy was more of a sweetheart than she'd first pegged him for. But something told her that he knew what it was like to be trapped under heavy eyes, never allowed to even stretch his legs. It was uncomfortable, especially with the training she had, to be idle. She was glad that he understood those sentiments and was willing to give her the freedom she needed to satisfy the kunoichi part of her.

Maybe this whole marriage wouldn't be so bad after all.


	4. Belonging Here

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Chapter:** Four – Loving Here

**Type:** Mini-Story – Complete

**Theme:** 25 Crossovers LJ challenge (#25 – Honored)

**Word Count:** 2,200

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I am aware that at no point do they ever get lovey-dovey over the course of these four chapters but I hope that I have implied that if you, as the reader, want them to take that route then you are more than welcome to. But if you want to think of them as a platonic couple who respect and support each other without love, then you are welcome to think of it that way as well. Since I feel I have achieved what I set out to accomplish with this mini-story, this is the final chapter. I hope I have left it with the feeling of an ending rather than just an abrupt halt.

**Edited on:** December 24, 2011

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The wedding ceremony in Konoha went just as well as the one in Soul Society. It was good to see her friends one more time so soon afterwards because she had the feeling that she wouldn't be seeing them again anytime soon. Though it had been by no means easy to say goodbye to them again in such a small span of time, it hadn't been as hard as she thought it would be. And though part of her wanted to wonder why, the rest of her deemed that slightly unsafe territory and she wasn't going to go there.

Within a month of returning to the Kuchiki Manor, Byakuya had managed to have her enrolled in the Shinigami Academy just as she'd requested. And she had a feeling that normally the administrators wouldn't have simply accepted her entry so she guessed the fact that he was the Clan Head as well as the Sixth Division Captain helped matters a lot. Especially when she realized just how close they had cut it to the first day of school. Part of her wondered what the other students would think, only to remind herself that some of them were much older than her, whether she was on a human clock or not.

That reminded her.

Surely, Byakuya knew that her lifespan was a lot shorter than his own. She knew that Yamamoto-soutaichou was at least two thousand, as mind boggling as that was, and she'd never figured out how Madara had stayed alive as long as he had. But the fact remained that she probably wouldn't even live a hundred years, time it would take for her husband to seem as if he'd aged no more than perhaps a decade. One of the topics Rukia had moseyed into while the two women were chatting was that the current head was a widower and that his first wife had passed away because of an illness, and that the smaller woman was her younger sister whom Byakuya had adopted on his late wife's last request.

First he married a sickly wife, and now a human one. Had he intentionally picked her, or was it completely arranged by his clan elders?

It was a topic she would have to remember to bring up at some point; after all even if it was an arranged marriage, she didn't want him suffering the loss of another wife to death if she could help it. He was a man of his word, and past the hard exterior was a man who cared for his family. She knew because she'd caught glimpses of those traits, ones that were almost similar to Neji's behavior though not exactly the same.

Rukia had said that she didn't know what her nii-sama planned to do about that because didn't know of any way to extend a human's life to even remotely match that of a shinigami's either.

In the meantime, Hinata knew she should be focusing on her schooling and duties to her new clan as the Clan Head's wife. Between the two, she was already kept on her toes; it was a lot of learning and rules and expectations to be met. Thankfully she had grown up in a noble family and had shinobi training to help her grasp concepts in both new fields more easily. She picked up on kido well enough, especially bakudo, but that didn't truly surprise her. And as for her clan duties, she found that she didn't come into much contact with the other members of the family; only Rukia and her handmaid saw her regularly besides her own husband.

Her life was much more simple than she thought it was going to be. Or perhaps she was just used to always being on her feet and having more than one thing to do at a time no matter what. Even without her own family factored in, she was torn between everyday shinobi work, daily training, and her specific job which was instructing her genin team. Thankfully, Byakuya had the perfect timing of asking for her hand after all three had been promoted to chunin.

And when she wasn't doing any of that, she was spending time with her original genin team or other friends, even on rare occasions helping out at the hospital.

But now she only had to worry about going to school, training and household duties, despite the fact that she been there for well over a month.

The rice paper screen shifted almost soundlessly, she glanced back out of pure habit. Her eyes confirmed what her chakra sensors already felt: her husband. With a soft smile for him, she turned her attention back to the night sky and subconsciously fostering her cup of hot tea. She heard him settle next to her on the deck. The night itself was cool, no chilly wind or bite to the air to disrupt the peaceful feel of it. Right then, she knew would be the best time to speak to him of her questions instead of leaving them with assumptions. She had already learned her lesson with him about doing such things. "How did your day go?" She turned her head to see him better.

He, too, turned to meet her gaze evenly. His eyes were contemplative as he answered. "It went well, no different than usual. And your own?"

She granted him another slight small for his courtesy and told him that hers was good as well. "Byakuya, may I ask a few questions?"

Still the gray eyes of his were quiet and considering; he paused only for a moment as if to weigh unknown options. Then he nodded once. "You may."

Hinata thought quickly of how to word her question so that she wouldn't seem anything other than what she intended. "Then I will start with the question I asked you when you first brought me here. Why have you chosen me for a wife?"

The silence lasted much longer this time, and it left her feeling as if she might have overstepped a boundary line for asking the same question twice. But she needed answers and she could think of no better one to introduce the others she held, and perhaps he would even answer them while he explained this one. He didn't turn from her gaze so she thought it best not to shy from his. It was her question after all; she shouldn't need to back off. Especially since she still remembered that he had told her to come to him if she had questions on any matter at all.

Then finally he did turn his head to refocus his eyes on the moon so high overhead. "I have told you before." She thought for a moment that she was going to get the same answer she had originally gotten, but he wasn't done. "I did not want a submissive wife, and you did not seem that way. You have gone so far as to distance yourself from your family, to attend to the duties of your village." Gray eyes didn't waver though they seemed they might. "Even though you were born to be the heiress of a noble clan, you have a sense of loyalty and honesty. You haven't once shown an inclination towards fame or power as I have seen many times even in my own council of elders."

When he was silent for longer than a breath, she subconsciously spoke what she drew from his answer. "You wanted a wife that would appease your clan, but wouldn't infuriate you."

He nodded simply. "Someone I would be willing to have at my side."

It was her turn to leave a silence between them as she marveled over the simplicity of his choice. And the way it warmed her heart at his many compliments. She knew Byakuya was not the sort of man to give compliments even when they were due, yet he was willing to say them to her because she had asked for the truth. He never ceased to amaze her, continuously making her rethink her initial reaction of having to be in an arranged marriage so far away from him. Each time she found her opinion of him rising, and herself growing just that much more comfortable in this life. As if she had always belonged.

"Thank you," she whispered softly; then she turned her gaze to stars of the night.

He hummed back. "You said you had a few questions."

She nodded her agreement, refusing to feel foolish for her next question. "Despite all of that, why choose a human? I don't have nearly as long a life span as you do."

This time his beautiful eyes did look back to her. They turned assessing rather than just thoughtful. "I am aware. Your human lifespan will be of no consequence; it can and will be extended to match my own."

She nipped at the inside of her lip in a show of piqued interest, her tactical mind kicking right into gear. "May I ask how that will be accomplished?"

Now he turned his head to her, locking gazes once more. "We are married. You soul will be bound to mine through consummation."

She felt her cheeks burn even before his words could fully sink in and when they did she turned an even brighter red. Her embarrassment about discussing such a topic so soon limited her to a simple 'oh' as she nodded numbly. Of course, that would be how her life would be stretched out. It was only logical, but her upbringing had kept those conclusions from being anything she would think to arrive at.

"Does that bother you?"

She quickly shook her head, but didn't avert her eyes so he would know she wasn't lying to him.

He nodded again, clearly satisfied with her response. "Good. Do you have any other questions?"

After finally getting past those thoughts, she thought it over and realized that she did. "I have not been asked or expected to do much for the clan thus far." It was a statement, true, but she knew he would understand the implications.

Briefly, right then, it occurred to her that as more time passed and the more they spoke, the better they got along. With every passing day and conversation, she found herself more comfortable in her skin here. She found herself comfortable with him. And that's what it meant to be married, didn't it? Even if she hadn't married for love as she had hoped, she was getting along just fine with her husband. And, honestly, that was more than she thought she would ever be allotted. She would be more than happy with that.

"You have been given half a year to settle in and learn everything you need to about the Soul Society before you will be asked to step into your role as the Clan Head's wife. Even then, the academy will take six years and until you have graduated, your tasks will be lighter than they would normally be. You will be expected to be a high ranking officer in a relatively small amount of time and still keep up with your duties."

She processed that for a moment, thankful for the forewarnings about what would be expected of her and when those expectations would set in. The raven-haired woman nodded. "Those were all the questions I had. Thank you for answering me honestly."

His eyes appraised her for but a moment before he answered her with a curt nod. "How are you studies going?"

Immediately, she perked up at the new subject and didn't bother to edit her emotions as she answered him as descriptively as she could.

If the first few months were any indication of how the rest of her life would be, then even if it was well past a human lifespan, she was fairly certain that she would have no qualms about it. She knew instinctively that with time as she was growing closer to her husband and Lord, she would also come to think of this place as home.

That was all she could ask for in such a situation, and she would be more than content with that.


End file.
